Crystal River current. [volume] (Crystal, Colo.) 1886-18??, 1887-05-28
a TURKISH PALACE.
Charming and Elegant Deeoratiou0-
A Beautiful Bath Room.

Charming and Elegant Deeoratieue-
A Beautiful Bath Room.
Our American minister kindly obtain.
ed "irman' from the government to
allow party of us to visit the palaces.
treasury. etc. writes Constantinople
correspondent of The San francisco
Chronicle. He also gave us the use of
his steam launch. and sent his CANVASS
and aid-de-camp of the sulitan's to
guide and guard US properly. We met
in the early morning in front Of the
largest palace on the Bosporus. '.Dolma
Batche." and entered by the water
gate. 1t opens into garden, not very
large. and consisting mostly of shrub
berry. But we had seen gardens before.
and not palaces, SO we hurried on to
ascend the marble steps. After a little
vestibule, we found ourselves at once
in large reception-room. The high
ly polished floors of different woods
were as smooth as glass. and strips Of
Turkish carpets were laid for us to walk
upon. Many apparently strong mar
BILE pillars supported the lofty ceiling.
Marble, we thought but upon examina-
ton, we found them to be only the
DeSJ VI lmlthtlOH. luc WALTZ tOO, uAu
designs in the same material. Each cor
ner was ornamented with candlestitcks
of about thirty candles. with cut-glass
liant lights. All the rest of the room
seemed grand in its emptiness. OFF it
are small reception-rooms. whose walls
are hung with fine pa ntings and tapes
try work. One wall is entirely taken
n w h "a, nf 81 nj lOri nm tn
Mecca. Each detail is wonderfully
brought out and we can imagine our
selves in the country there represented.
riding one of those large camels. or in
the train of worshipers following some
notable's carriage. Beautiful tables
of inlaid work and mosaics are in these
rooms; indeed every thing is the perfec-
ton of elegance. From the large GEN.
trail hall laid those renowned stairs
whose balustrades are of glass. and
whose flights wind around each other
in SO graceful Il manner. Looking up, as
we near the top, we see a room brilliant
again with the refectors of numerous
candles. This is very similar to the
large room below il. but off from it the
rooms are larger and furnished us par
lors or drawing rooms.
We were surprised to find no bed
rooms, but it seems that the Turks be-
leve in getting along without all that
furniture. and so they simply have their
bedding brought in and placed upon
a divan for the night The more intel
ligent people are getting now to use
bedsteats and probably when the sultan
occupied this palace they were used;
but now. since it is shown to the pub
lie. the effect is supposed to be better
without them. OF course, these rooms
appear much alike. yet all differ in the
richness of the silken hangings. heavy
curtains, and handsomely upholstered
chairs and divans. Many Of the fire.
places are of the most exquisite marble,
and some are even of glass. Yet more
wonderful in workmanship are the
mosaics. flowers matched SO perfectly
as to look like natural ones, and figures
as to appear like natural ones, and fig
ures SO plain as to appear like fine
paintings. We passed through Il long
corridor containing over one hundred
oil paintings. most of them represent
ing battle scenes, landscapes. and ami
mails, and some of them are quite fine.
This long hall leads into the harem.
but that we were not permitted to en-
ter, and were guided up short flight
of stairs into the sultan's room. This
is richer than any other in its furnish
ings and opens into what was once q
conservatory that overlooked the whole
garden. 1t is now entirely uncared for
and looks desolate enough. From
here was visited the thorne-room. that
must be the entire width of the build
ing and the whole height as well. The
dome seems so far. far up; and how
the figures in the paintings stood out
as they looked down upon us. From
every part of that large room it looked
the same. At one end is space for
the throne. that is placed there only
when needed. The room is seldom
used except on certain fete days or to
receive some noted visitor. What
wealth is displayed in the heavy silver
candlesticks that stand fully ten feet
from the floor. They are solid. and
their peculiar tinge shows the purity OF
the material.
Not far from this room is the gem Of
all bathrooms for it is of pure Egyp.
tian alabaster. The walls and ceiling
are beautifully carved. while the floor
and basins seemed the purer for their
simplicity. As the sun shone through
the skylight and showed the pink
transparency Of the stone. it seemed
like precious stone indeed. We Wis
tied more drawing rooms. and might
have continued to do SO for hours, bu,
our guide hurried us on.